How to Arrange Flowers in a Vase
So you purchased or received a gift of fresh, local Pittsburgh flowers – exciting! You want to make sure your flowers last as long as possible, but first need to get them in some water ASAP. Here are our top tips on how to arrange flowers in a vase, so you can get the absolute most out of your bouquet.
1) Remove wrapping and prepare flowers for the vase
Whether you order a delivered dahlia flower arrangement or have a Pittsburgh flower subscription, all Redolent Floral arrangements come in a paper wrapper (for safety) with ribbon and a rubber band. Carefully remove these items and recycle them as you prepare to process your flowers.
Next, using a sharp pair of scissors or snips, cut all flower stems on the bias (on an angle) about 1 inch from their base. This encourages fresh uptake of water as soon as possible.
If there are any leaves remaining on the bottom few inches of your flowers, remove them. This can cause premature stem rot which can also discolor your vase water. Your flowers from Redolent (or another florist) should already have this step taken care of! But this is helpful to know if you’re picking flowers from your garden.
2) Choose the right vase
The main tip here is to avoid too big or too small. Even the most beautiful bouquet will look out of place in an improper vase.
Choose a vase with relatively wide opening – an inch or so wider than the stems of the bouquet. This provides just enough breathing room for the flowers to fan out slightly. You never want to “cram” flowers into a vase.
Our favorites are a classic glass vase (which we sell!), but different colors and materials all lend a unique flair. It all depends on your personal taste – some people prefer to let flowers shine through with a simple glass, others like a maximalist approach with something like a patterned ceramic or even mosaic container.
This goes somewhat without saying, but always be sure the vessel you plan to use is watertight!
Next, hold flowers up to the side of the vase you choose – ideally, their heads are about 6 inches above the top of the vase. Smaller than this and the flowers will be crowded; taller than this and the vase is at risk of tipping over.
From an aesthetic standpoint, most arrangements look best when the vase is about 2/3 to 3/5 the height of the entire arrangement. You’ll know that something if off if the flowers look like they’re about to topple over, or if the vase drawing too much attention away from the blossoms.
3) Fill the vase and add flower food
Add very cold water to the vase, filling it up about halfway. If your stems are on the shorter side you may want to add a bit more water, just to ensure everyone is able to have a drink. Do not fill to the top, as this will cause displacement when you actually insert your stems.
All Redolent bouquets will come with a small packet of flower preservative – use it! This can extend your vase life by up to 60%. There is no need to use the entire packet in one go. We recommend parsing it out over a couple of days, as you’ll want to change the vase water frequently.
4) Arrange flowers in a vase
A bouquet from Redolent will already have a lovely mix of local Pittsburgh flowers, but it’s always nice to add a personal touch when it comes to actually displaying them in your vase!
You may want to cut some other stems at different lengths, to create an asymmetrical view that is quite pleasing to the eye. More “standout” flowers (like hydrangeas or dahlias) can be cut lower, while supporting blooms (like snapdragons and celosia) often look best when a bit taller, drawing the eye up.
Too much symmetry will make things look a bit cookie-cutter, so feel free to get creative with your stem heights!
Keep in mind that individual flower types will look best when grouped together – meaning, keep like flowers on their own sides when possible. A small amount of separation is OK (after all, that’s how flowers grow in nature), but the human brain responds positively to patterns. For this reason, try to keep groups of similar blossoms together.
Make sure you have no “loner” blooms – meaning, a stem or two hanging out on its own away from the rest. We want things to look cohesive.
Finally, rotate the vase a bit to ensure your arrangement looks great from a few angles. Decide where you want to display it and enjoy it for the coming days!
